Silver Cloud Copenhagen to Tower Bridge July 7, voyage 1519

[TLCOhio]

Have arrived in Atlanta. waiting for next flight. Long day.

 

Since you are in Atlanta, the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., might, maybe, somewhat apply. He famously said: "Free at last, Free at last, Thank God almighty we are free at last."

 

Look forward to hearing more details and specifics for you got "FREE" of the Tower of London, escaped the U.K, did in London last evening, etc.

 

Plus, waiting till tomorrow, telling us your key "Best of the Best" highlights, etc.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 181,259 views.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

[spinnaker2]

Inspection was a little before 7 pm.

We had dinner reservations in la terrazza at 7.

Still had packing to finish.

So we didn't get off until this am

[duct tape]

Terry, really??? Not even close!

[spinnaker2]

Good to be home.

Such a great trip. Cruise was terrific. Crew were wonderful.

review will be later.

hope to post more photos.

thank you to all who followed or helped with encouragement regarding lost luggage or posting photographs.

To change the world we all just need to communicate and continue to share with one another.

[Mayflower1]

Its great that you had a wonderful time on the Cloud but slightly hampered by the UK Immigration Face to Face - surely during these very difficult times such delays are likely to be a more regular feature and perhaps we should build delays into our own schedule expectations ?.

 

Was the delay any worse than we non US Citizens have to endure every time we try to enter the US ?

[spinnaker2]

Mayflower:

Agreed that delay is part of travel, whether it's within one's country or internationally.

I can't speak to the issue of the delay for non US citizens.

I do know that global entry helps us get thru customs when we get back to the USA.

Otherwise the lines are incredibly long for non citizens and citizens of the USA.

I am not sure what the arrangement is for inspection by immigration control in the UK. I do know that we were told that the inspectors were delayed in getting to the ship.

I don't think it was a function of the heightened security at this time, but instead a delay as we were told.

But frankly I really am not privy to the reason. While it was annoying for those with specific reservations, we had no such commitments and rolled with the situation. I was reporting on what was occurring at the time. We made the best of it.

Not being able to get off the ship has happened to us before. Fortunately for all concerned, this was not a major issue, just a minor glitch. Eventually all who wished to did get off the Cloud.

Not sure how one should anticipate delay as happened in this situation other than to make shoreside reservations or commitments later.

[UKCruiseJeff]

S.

 

Things are perceived as bad for non US entering the US and it has cost the US a lot of tourism. Wifey and I use to enjoy our US travel but we are unlikely to return ... unless we take the LCY route which means immigration clearance in Ireland.

 

Glad your back safely.

 

Jeff

[duct tape]

Mayflower1, TSA is non discriminatory, they don't treat anyone well!

[drron29]

We always build a stay before embarking on a cruise-this time we had a cancelled flight then lost baggage so it was essential.

We also stay a night after disembarking just to be safe.

 

As to entering the US we try and avoid Miami and Chicago-though are going through both on our next trip!LAX has improved considerably for those from downunder with the new Tom Bradley terminal.We were through very quickly this time with an enjoyable joust with the Immigration officer.

We certainly will continue travelling to the US-we love it.

 

Those from the UK shouldn't throw stones.My least favourite airport is LHR.Even got strip searched when transferring from AA to Iberia at LHR.WE very nearly have had missed connections,Immigration officers who obviously have never smiled in their life-give me an US airport any day.

Edited July 21, 2015 by drron29

[UKCruiseJeff]

:confused:

 

I didn't throw any stones and didn't say that your experience at Heathrow was any better or worst than ours in the US.

 

:)

[Mayflower1]

No throwing of stones was intended by my remarks - just a realisation that in these heightened Security times we all must expect to be inconvenienced at times - the US Immigration issue, especially for Non US citizens has been well documented over a number of years - Jeff is merely stating how some of us feel.

 

Thank you Duct tape for your reassuring remarks !!!!!

[spinnaker2]

I didn't feel any stones, rocks, pebbles or twigs.

No insult was taken by this poster.

 

We as well try to have a day before we embark to build in a safety net for delay, etc. this time our day in Copenhagen before the cruise was spent on the phone trying to find our lost luggage, which was apparently stranded in Amsterdam. Dealing with the luggage device in Prague was an experience I hope not to repeat. Their insensitivity and outright lies would make your hair curl.

 

I am not sure why the U.S.A.'s policies on entry are perceived as inordinately long or unfriendly. I know that in my travel for business life, I was stopped and searched many times. Apparently my grandmotherly white hair looks threatening or it was some other reason. i haven't a clue why, it just happened.

 

I do hope that the delays we experience in entering or leaving another country will not deter us from travel to that country. We all have much to learn and share with each other

Regrettably, a few who have radical ideas and who have put their ideas into action have made travel more difficult and forever changed it.

 

I will not stop traveling until I am stopped. I do hope that doesn't happen any time soon.

[Stumblefoot]

As to entering the US we try and avoid Miami and Chicago-though are going through both on our next trip!LAX has improved considerably for those from downunder with the new Tom Bradley terminal.We were through very quickly this time with an enjoyable joust with the Immigration officer. We certainly will continue travelling to the US-we love it.

Dr. Ron, I don't imagine you get much of a chance to enter the U.S. in Dallas (DFW), but their immigration control is very good too, on par with LAX.

[Emtbsam]

I have sworn never to enter the US via Miami ever again. As a US citizen, I was embarrassed that any non-US citizen would have that as their first experience in the US. It was total chaos and inexcusable.

[duct tape]

Miami is a nightmare for everyone!

[rojaan19]

Dr. Ron, I don't imagine you get much of a chance to enter the U.S. in Dallas (DFW), but their immigration control is very good too, on par with LAX.

 

That's good to know Stumblefoot ! :) Ron and I fly into DFW from Guayaquil when we get off the Explorer in October.

[Stumblefoot]

That's good to know Stumblefoot ! :) Ron and I fly into DFW from Guayaquil when we get off the Explorer in October.

Perfect! I don't know why, but it didn't even register with me that you might return home from Ecuador via DFW. Makes all of the sense in the world now!

I have sworn never to enter the US via Miami ever again. As a US citizen, I was embarrassed that any non-US citizen would have that as their first experience in the US. It was total chaos and inexcusable.

Miami is a nightmare for everyone!

Amen Emtbsam and Duct Tape.

[Fletcher]

I have sworn never to enter the US via Miami ever again. As a US citizen, I was embarrassed that any non-US citizen would have that as their first experience in the US. It was total chaos and inexcusable.

 

Newark gets my vote as the worst ever. I got the impression that the immigration staff were being as rude as possible so as to provoke some sort of physical or verbal response from a passenger that would enable the immigration staff to make life even more difficult.

 

And then there was the Business Class lounge for United Airlines - no food, wifi down, you pay for certain drinks.

 

Welcome to the Third World.

 

PS: Nice to see the Cloud in London the other day. I'm aboard later this year.

Edited July 22, 2015 by Fletcher

[spinnaker2]

wanted to mention that we never had the meet and mingle aboard. i did get notification that the quota was met, but no invitation was forthcoming while onboard.

i mentioned it to the CD, who then said he would get a list of those who were CC'ers and facilitate a gathering. It never happened.

Again, not a gripe, just an observation of events. We were very happy with the cruise and the crew aboard the Cloud.